Cop killer suspect Christopher Jordan Dorner published an 11-page manifesto, apparently seeking to explain or justify murder. Dorner, a former police officer and trained marksman, is now being hunted by police in Los Angeles and across Southern California. They say he's already taken three lives, including that of the daughter of a police chief he felt had wronged him. Targeting the children and spouses of officers is one of many specific threats Dorner makes.
Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck addressed the manifesto at a news conference on Thursday when a reporter commented that Dorner was blaming the LAPD for his actions. "You're talking about a homicide suspect who has committed atrocious crimes. If you want to give any attribution to his ramblings on the Internet, go right ahead, but I do not."
Following are excerpts from the manifesto, with detail and analysis to put it in as much perspective as we can. We've replaced slurs and curse words with asterisks; Dorner spelled them out. We have not corrected his spelling and grammatical errors.
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"I know most of you who personally know me are in disbelief to hear from media reports that I am suspected of committing such horrendous murders and have taken drastic and shocking actions in the last couple of days. You are saying to yourself that this is completely out of character of the man you knew who always wore a smile wherever he was seen. I know I will be villified by the LAPD and the media. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name. The department has not changed since the Rampart and Rodney King days. It has gotten worse. The consent decree should never have been lifted. The only thing that has evolved from the consent decree is those officers involved in the Rampart scandal and Rodney King incidents have since promoted to supervisor, commanders, and command staff, and executive positions."
It isn't known when Dorner wrote this, whether it was before or after the murderous rampage he's accused of began. It starts as a way to explain himself, to try to justify his actions by saying he felt it was his "last resort." He used that term in the subject line of this manifesto that was addressed to "America." It, in many ways, acts as the preface to his story. It is a story that is at times a rambling, angry airing of personal grievances that he thinks led to his firing. At other times, it reads as the grandiose doctrine of a man who believes he is a revolutionary and the last hope to save what he deems to be a police department so corrupt that murder was the sole way to stop the rot.
Dorner's claims of corruption and bias against the LAPD wouldn't be the first, but his level of detail, the fits of rage, and the blunt and violent nature of how he intends to rectify it -- through a murderous rampage -- are stark and shocking.
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"Unfortunately after reporting it to supervisors and investigated by PSB (internal affairs investigator) [redacted] nothing was done. I had broken their supposed "Blue Line" ...
It is clear as day that the department retaliated toward me for reporting Evans for kicking [the victim]"
This seems to be the impetus behind Dorner's rage. Throughout his manifesto, he returns to the actions of one specific officer whom he reported as abusing a suspect, but nothing, he says, was done. He claims the officer and others lied to protect the truth. It seems to be Dorner's belief that he was fired because of this, and it seems to be the spark for his larger anger toward the department.
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"During this BOR hearing a video was played for the BOR panel where [the victim] stated that he was indeed kicked by Officer Evans (video sent to multiple news agencies). In addition to [the victim] stating he was kicked, his father [redacted], also stated that his son had stated he was kicked by an officer when he was arrested after being released from custody. This was all presented for the department at the BOR hearing. They still found me guilty and terminated me."
Throughout the manifesto, Dorner tries to enlist support for his cause and gives instructions, this time asking the media to cover his case.
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"At that point I jumped over my front passenger seat and two other officers where I placed my hands around [redacted] neck and squeezed. I stated to [redacted] "Don't fucking say that". At that point there was pushing and shoving and we were separated by several other officers. What I should have done, was put a Winchester Ranger SXT 9mm 147 grain bullet in his skull and Officer [redacted] skull. The Situation would have been resolved effective, immediately."
Dorner says this unrelated incident came after he heard another officer call someone else a "n****r." Dorner confronted him, but the officer said he'd say it as often as he wanted. Dorner, who is African-American, is very clear in his writing that he should have solved the problem permanently with murder. It's also a sign that he's been violent against colleagues.
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"I was the only black kid in each of my elementary school classes from first grade to seventh grade in junior high and any instances where I was disciplined for fighting was in response to fellow students provoking common childhood schoolyard fights, or calling me a n****r or other derogatory racial names. I grew up in neighborhoods where blacks make up less than 1%. My first recollection of racism was in the first grade at Norwalk Christian elementary school in Norwalk, CA. A fellow student, [Jim] if I can recall, called me a n****r on the playground. My response was swift and non-lethal. I struck him fast and hard with a punch an kick. He cried and reported it to a teacher. The teacher reported it to the principal. The principal swatted Jim for using a derogatory word toward me. He then for some unknown reason swatted me for striking Jim in response to him calling me a n****r. He stated as good Christians we are to turn the other cheek as Jesus did. Problem is, I'm not a f***ing Christian and that old book, made of fiction and limited non-fiction, called the bible, never once stated Jesus was called a n****r. How dare you swat me for standing up for my rights for demanding that I be treated as a equal human being. That day I made a life decision that I will not tolerate racial derogatory terms spoken to me. Unfortunately I was swatted multiple times for the same exact reason up until junior high.
"Terminating me for telling the truth of a caucasian officer kicking a mentally ill man is disgusting. Don't ever call me a f***ing bully. I want all journalist to utilize every source you have that specializes in collections for your reports. With the discovery and evidence available you will see the truth. Unfortunately, I will not be alive to see my name cleared. That's what this is about, my name. A man is nothing without his name."
Dorner's story of discrimination when he was a child and his initial inclination to use force parallels how he talks about handling the problems with those in the LAPD who he believes have done the same to other citizens.
He also begins to talk about his "name" and what it means to him to clear it, a central theme in his manifesto. He wants people to know he is far from the bully he was declared to be at the LAPD for reporting something he thought was wrong. And he begins to detail his plan to clear that name, to justify what he has done and what he plans to continue doing: killing until the truth is made clear.
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"I have exhausted all available means at obtaining my name back. I have attempted all legal court efforts within appeals at the Superior Courts and California Appellate courts. This is my last resort. The LAPD has suppressed the truth and it has now lead to deadly consequences. The LAPD's actions have cost me my law enforcement ...They cost me my Naval career ... I lost my position as a Commanding Officer of a Naval Security Forces reserve unit at NAS Fallon because of the LAPD. I've lost a relationship with my mother and sister because of the LAPD. I've lost a relationship with close friends because of the LAPD. In essence, I've lost everything because the LAPD took my name and new I was INNOCENT!!!"
Dorner seems to be saying he has exhausted all options to prove that he is not the man he's been made out to be through his termination. He has lost everything he believes is important. While we may not know what set off this powder keg, his writing gives the impression that he feels he has nothing personally to lose, so he might as well try to fix things by any means necessary.
